FITNESS SPORTS
Anyone involved in coaching or personal training has probably heard the adage, 'you don't play a sport to get into shape, you get into shape to play a sport'. Many sport related injuries occur due to the old weekend warrior syndrome. See if you fit the profile. You probably played sports in high school. That was 10-20 years ago (or more). You still consider yourself to be an athlete or athletic even though you haven't exercised or competed since high school. In an effort to slow down the rate of growth around your waist, you join a basketball, soccer, tennis/racquetball or flag football league. After the first game or practice you are either too sore to perform daily life activities (sitting in a chair or walking up a flight of stairs) or you get injured and have to hang up your gym shoes or cleats.
Don't worry, you weren't the first person to have this exact experience and you certainly won't be the last. There is a specific reason why it happened to you and several things you can do to either minimize the risk of it happening again or completely prevent it altogether. It is all about two things: your pre-season preparation and the activity you choose to participate in. We will attempt to help you put together a smart, safe and effective training program aimed at getting you ready for physical activity and also recommend some activities that will really help you boost your fitness while participating in them.
If you have a desire to become more active, set a goal date to begin participation in an activity and get on a training program for at least 8-12 weeks prior to prepare your body. If it has really been decades since you have last exercised, get your doctors permission before you do anything. Depending on the type of activity, there may be two different preparation programs to follow. Some activities solely require an aerobic component while others require aerobics and an increase in full body strength and conditioning. Here are two simple plans to accomplish each. Use the one that best fits the demands of your fitness sport or activity:
Aerobic Conditioning only:
10-WEEK BEGINNER RUNNER'S PROGRAM
Complete 3-5 times per week.
Week 1 Run 1 minute, walk 2 minutes 7 times
2 Run 2 minutes, walk 2 minutes 5 times
3 Run 3 minutes, walk 2 minutes 4 times
4 Run 5 minutes, walk 2 minutes 3 times
5 Run 6 minutes, walk 1 ½ minutes 3 times
6 Run 8 minutes, walk 1 ½ minutes 2 times
7 Run 10 minutes, walk 1 ½ minutes 2 times
8 Run 12 minutes, walk 1 minute, Run 8 minutes
• Run 15 minutes, walk 1 minute, Run 5 minutes
10 Run 20 minutes
If your fitness sport or activity requires an increase in muscle strength and endurance add circuit training into your program. Here is a sample.
CIRCUIT TRAINING WORKOUT
Warm up for 10 minutes on any cardiovascular machine of your choice. After your warm-up, complete one set of each exercise in order. Do not take any rest between exercises!
Squat 25 reps
Bench-Press 15 reps
Leg Curl 15 reps
Seated Row 15 reps
Crunches 50 reps
Leg Extension 15 reps
Seated Dumbbell Military Press 15 reps
Calf Raise 25 reps
Wide Grip Pulldown 15 reps
Leg Curl 15 reps
Incline Dumbbell Press 15 reps
Crunches 50 reps
Triceps Pushdown 15 reps
Seated Dumbbell Biceps Curl 15 reps
Repeat this circuit 2-4 times depending on time and your energy level. After you have completed your last lap of the day, do 1 set of hyperextensions for your lower back. This should be the absolute last exercise that you do for the day. Never complete this workout two days in a row. Your muscles will need at least 48 hours between workouts for recovery.
That about covers the types of exercise routines you can use to prepare your body for recreational competition. Here are some choices for fitness sports that will really boost your fitness level while you are playing/competing in them. They are mainly aerobic based activities that you may have enjoyed as a kid. They are a great aid in weight management and increasing cardiovascular health. The fitness sports recommended for long term health and enjoyment are running, cycling, swimming and rowing. They all burn lots of calories and most have group or team training programs to help you maintain your motivation.
Some of these fitness sports even serve as fundraisers for great causes. For example, the Leukemia Society has fundraising events that will help prepare you for marathons or triathlons and the Arthritis Foundation has a fundraiser to train you to ride the California coastline. Both programs help to raise money to help people suffering from disease and in return offer fun 20 week training programs. Regardless of the fitness sport you choose, remember that you are not as young as you once were. Don't expect your body to be able to do the things you did back in high school. Don't despair, you can once again become a competitive athlete. It is just going to take some smart training and preparation.
Great fitness and diet help resources:
For Muscle Building And Fat Loss Program. Build muscle and shed fat with tips from trainer and bodybuilder Shawn LeBrun
For The Ultimate Rotator Cuff Training Guide. Physical therapist reveals how to fix rotator cuff pain and shoulder stiffness.
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For A Physician's Weight-Loss Secret. Drug-Free Weight-loss Prescription - No-Starving. No calorie counting. Effective, Safe. 14 years proven Results.
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WeightLoss eBook :Negative Calorie Foods. Popular Weight loss Program. 3 Diet Plans, 150 recipes with negative calorie foods! Pictures of Negative Calorie Foods.
Comments to date: 1. Page 1 of 1.
Ken T Canada | 2:42pm on Sunday, June 22nd, 2008 |
This makes getting involved in fitness sports look not so intimidating. Thanks for the info | |
